But on the flip side, there are just too many taxi touts there nowadays, on arrival. It is not as disciplined as it was earlier. At around 3:30 AM, I got besieged by many taxi drivers - and it has been getting worse every month - fortunately not as bad as it was in the old HAL airport, but it will go that way if they don't curb this soon.

But on the flip side, there are just too many taxi touts there nowadays, on arrival. It is not as disciplined as it was earlier. At around 3:30 AM, I got besieged by many taxi drivers - and it has been getting worse every month - fortunately not as bad as it was in the old HAL airport, but it will go that way if they don't curb this soon.

Yes. I have faced this situation as well. . I was waiting to take the vayu vajra back home but these touts wont let me stay in peace. I was bugged every 5 minutes to take their cab even when I said the bus that takes me right to my home at 1/3rd the price. My observation is that the Vayu Vajra bus timings were not regular during the late/mid night to early morning hours when many international airlines arrive. I guess the patronage is less for the buses at this time, but the taxis are always hired.

The on-going upgrade of Terminal 1 continues its progress. The airport operating company BIAL told Bangalore Aviation that the expansion would be completed in phases.

First to be ready will be the new VVIP terminal building, followed by each of the left and right wings and finally the small strip in the front of the terminal where the current escalators are.

The right wing, on the site of the old VVIP terminal, is going to be marginally longer than the left.
Code F aircraft capability
German carrier Lufthansa, has announced, Bangalore will be a destination for its new Boeing 747-8i aircraft, which happens to be Code F due to a massive wing span. On enquiry a BIAL spokesperson informed Bangalore Aviation

For your update on Code F aircraft operation from Bengaluru International Airport please note Bangalore International Airport Limited has done safety risk assessment for Code F aircraft and has received approval to permit regular operations of this type of aircraft at this airport from the Director General Civil Aviation. Additionally Code F compliant stand is being created as part of T1 expansion and it will have the capability to accommodate A380 type of aircraft.

In the 1st photo you can see that below the terminal building there is some digging happening. Is it for parking for the airport vehicles or is it the high speed railway link terminal?

I don't think the digging is for any of the two reasons. They have created ample parking space in front of T1 and hence do not require underground parking. And HSRL will be linked to underground of T2 and T1 as per the plan. This digging must be for some other construction reason.